And Then There Were Two
by TheRealLoisLane
Summary: Sequel to the Lilies saga. If you haven't read my first 3 fics in that saga Lilies, Something For Lois, and For Her, then you may be a little lost in this sequel. This fic is once again strictly Lois POV.
1. Chapter 1

ok, the long awaited sequel to the Lilies Saga. like i said in the last few chapters of For Her, there were several hidden easter eggs in all three of the first fics (Lilies, Something For Lois and For Her) that alluded to this sequel. did you figure them all out? some are revealed in this very first chapter of the sequel. but keep in mind that everything i write has meaning. even the titles of the fics. sometimes they have multiple meanings.

oh, and if you haven't read any of those first 3 fics, then you will probably be lost in this sequel

so there are hidden easter eggs in the sequel that will allude to future chapters and even the third installment in the trilogy. there are also things that give nods to scenes, lines, etc. in the first three fics. can you catch them all?

this story is presented in Lois' POV. i wanted to write it first because it's going to tell the story the way i want it to right now. there will more than likely be a Clark POV, too. but we'll see how this one goes first

so here we go. know that feedback of any kind is always loved and appreciated.

**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story and a Keith Urban Monkeyville Passport. It's a KU thing, you wouldn't understand. Even my cat has no clue.  
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Chapter 1**

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She slowly pulled the aluminum foil off the plate of deviled eggs. Most of the food was now out of the refrigerator. There just didn't seem to be any more room. Besides, maybe they'd be hungry by the time they got back.

She'd left her car at the old farmhouse and rode with her cousin. But Chloe didn't want to stay afterwards. She was too exhausted, mentally and physically. She also had to drive all the way back to Metropolis before morning. Her classes weren't getting any easier and she was still working as hard as ever at the Daily Planet. So, she'd dropped her off and left.

She walked to the drawer to find a knife to cut Mrs. Johnson's double chocolate fudge cake. The older woman had dropped it off just as Chloe was pulling into the driveway. She seemed upset and didn't want to stay and talk. Neither girl blamed her.

It'd been a long day and an even longer week. She honestly didn't know how she kept herself going. Of course, she was having a hard time understanding why it was affecting her the way it was.

But all of that would have to be sorted out later. She had to keep herself busy. She had to concentrate on the task at hand. That _is_ what her father taught her, after all.

And she did try. But she also caught herself thinking about the past few weeks.

It'd only been a few weeks. So, why did it now feel like an eternity?

He'd bought a memorial to honor her mother. He'd shown her that someone other than family actually cared. He'd shown her that _he_ cared.

And, on some level, she'd probably known that from the very start. She always knew she could trust him. But this was personal. She'd opened up to him and told him things that no one else knew. And look what came of it.

They'd each seen a completely different side to the other. She'd now realized he wasn't just aloof and predictable. No. She saw he had his moments. And she was grateful to witness them.

But lately, things hadn't been as…wonderful. He'd closed himself off from everyone, including her. They couldn't talk. She couldn't reach him. After everything he did for her…she couldn't reach him.

She didn't want to impose. She just wanted to help. They'd been there for her, and she wanted to repay them the best way she knew how. So, she offered her assistance in any way. It was welcomed, but it was one of those things where everyone said, "I just wish it was under better circumstances."

But that never made any sense. If the current circumstances had never come to pass, there would be no need to say anything in the first place. It was just something you had to deal with. She knew that better than anyone.

As she cut the cake, she glanced out the kitchen window at the snow still coming down. They'd already had about four inches and the weatherman said to expect more later that night.

Part of her wanted them to come home so she could make sure they ate something and were settled in for the evening before she headed back to the Talon. She hated driving in the snow.

She sliced the last piece, then scooted the cake over and grabbed the plastic box of sandwiches, taking off the lid. She wasn't sure who was coming. She thought it might just be them, but she couldn't be certain. She had to be ready for anything.

He'd completely taken her by surprise that night. Part of her still couldn't get over it. But he seemed so…caring. He was so willing to sit there and listen to her babble on about her family.

At the time he'd completely thrown her for a loop. Why did he care? He'd done so much for her since then…in more ways than she ever imagined.

She'd struggled to get out of bed the last couple of days. Everything seemed to hit her hard again. It wasn't like during that week of the anniversary, but it was pretty close. And that bothered her.

For some reason this family had crept into her heart. She cared about them and, as had been proven over the last few weeks, they cared for her as well.

But the last few days were unexpected. And he withdrew from her the moment it happened. He withdrew from everyone. He became cold and hollow. The complete opposite of the person she'd come to see only a few short weeks ago.

She'd never admit it out loud, but she missed him. She missed the banter and the general playfulness they had. She was starting to just miss…him.

He'd gradually become her best friend, especially over the last few weeks. They trusted each other, confided in each other. They both knew the other would always be there.

But now, he wasn't. She knew he was hurting. She knew he was sad and depressed.

It was only a week ago they'd laughed so hard watching a movie in her apartment that milk actually shot out his nose and across the room. She still had trouble figuring out how it flew so far.

But they'd laughed. They'd enjoyed each other's company. They just loved being there. Together.

It didn't have to be romantic. It didn't need ulterior motives. They just wanted to be near each other. She knew that and could tell he did, too.

She sighed as she leaned against the sink and folded her arms. All of the food was ready, including the ham she'd put in the oven a couple of hours earlier. There was nothing else to do. It would be dark soon and they still weren't home. She had a feeling they were still out there. After all, she would be, too.

The tires barely made any noise on the snow covered gravel, but she definitely heard the two car doors close. They were home.

The kitchen door opened and the older woman walked in, her black coat lightly dusted with the fresh snow. Her auburn hair hung in her sullen face as she kept her eyes to the floor.

"Mrs. Kent, let me take your coat."

She walked to her and, grabbing the coat from her shoulders, lightly tugged it off her small frame.

She didn't know what to say. What _do_ you say in times like these? Normal conversation just doesn't feel right. But there's no handbook for these awkward situations. You just have to do the best you know how.

Mrs. Kent stood there. She never moved.

Say _something_.

"There's plenty of food if you're hungry. You probably haven't eaten all day. There's everything from ham and vegetables to cake and brownies."

Nothing. Not a word. Here comes that uncomfortable silence she loathes so much.

She sighed as she walked to the living room and hung the woman's coat on the hall tree. She had to get her to say something.

"Where's Clark?"

She didn't mean to ask it. She didn't know why she asked about him. She just did.

And part of her was glad.

The woman glanced up and their eyes met. She'd clearly been crying. Her pale skin and light blue eyes couldn't hide that.

"I think he went up to his loft."

Oh great, _that_ place. She hadn't been up there since that night. The night they hugged for longer than two seconds. Just the thought of climbing those steps and being up there with him again…well. To say it made her slightly nervous was an understatement.

But that was also considering the events of the past few days. She didn't know how much worse he'd be. Or if he'd want to talk. Even to her.

"Oh, okay." That came out a little more disappointed than she meant, but she was sure it wasn't caught. "Well, would you like anything to eat? There's tons of food here and I think there's even more in the freezer that could be thawed. You know, people will bring anything by, even--"

"Lois." Mrs. Kent held up her hand. "Thank you for all you've done, but I think I'm just gonna go to bed. I've got a headache and I'm just not hungry."

She slowly nodded her head and gave a weak smile. What else could she do?

"Okay. I'll just put some of it away. Should I go see if Clark wants anything?"

Mrs. Kent slowly walked to the stairs and turned as she reached the first step, placing her hand on the railing.

"If you want. He hasn't said a word since this morning. So, I doubt you'll get anything out of him."

She turned and headed up the stairs. Lois' heart sank as she watched her turn the corner at the top of the landing.

What more could she do?

She turned and looked out the door. The snow was still falling hard, but she knew she had to go see him. After all, maybe _he'd_ be hungry.

She grabbed her coat off the hall tree in the living room and threw it on. Opening the door, she braced herself for the cold air. She closed the door gently behind her and carefully made her way down the steps of the old farmhouse. It was barely daylight as the snow fell silently around her. She pulled her coat tight around her small body as she stopped to look at the old blue tractor sitting near the barn.

It was only a couple of weeks ago she'd pulled into the driveway and watched as the two of them shared a laugh while repairing the persistently rundown piece of equipment. She had to swallow hard to keep the tears from forming at the memory.

She shook her head and walked into the barn. He was up there. The light was on. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before making her way up the old wooden steps.

She stopped at the top of the stairs and watched him. He had his back to her as he sat hunched over in the old desk chair.

Should she say something? Should she just walk over to him?

Whatever she did, she knew not to be snide. She couldn't be her usual self. Not now. That's not what he needed.

No. What he needed was someone. Someone who understood what he's going through. Someone who's been there.

She walked behind him and over to the sofa and sat, her arms folded across her chest, trying in vain to keep herself warm. She didn't know how he ever kept from freezing to death in the drafty old barn during the dead of winter.

It's when she leaned forward to speak that she saw it. He held it tight in his hands. The old picture frame had seen better days, but the photograph inside was what was truly important.

"It helps." Nothing. Not even a flinch. Try again. "Pictures help in more ways than most people realize." Still nothing. "They bring the past alive and remind us that no one is ever really gone. As long as we have the memories, they'll always be with us."

His eyes moved, but nothing else. They darted for a brief moment in her direction, but never made contact with hers. He kept his head down and focused on the picture.

"Thanks."

Thanks? She delivered one of the most comforting lines ever and all she got was a 'thanks'?

She had to get him to say something else.

"There's food in the kitchen if you're hung--"

"I'm not."

Well, that was a little rude. She's only trying to help.

But…she knows what he's going through. She was only six when she experienced it. It's the kind of situation that makes you grow up faster than you should.

What else could she do for him?

She took a deep breath and looked down as she tried to figure out the best way to talk to him. To reach him. To comfort him.

Looking up to him, she softened her voice.

"Clark…" Another deep breath. "You know I'm here for you, right? I mean…if you just want to talk. Or if you just want to sit and look at the pictures…"

He seemed to love pouring over all of her old photos. She thought maybe it'd be a comfort to him now, too.

But he was still withdrawn. He wasn't letting her in. And she couldn't figure out why. They'd been so open before. What changed?

"He wasn't supposed to die, Lois."


	2. Chapter 2

ok... sorry for the delay. ugh, life.

anyway. this chapter was very difficult to write. at least emotions-wise. i'm pretty sure i've gone through approximately 10 kleenex with this one. of course, as a writer, you sometimes bring your own experiences and feelings into the story. so that's there, too.

but i'm rambling..

so, this chapter is gonna set up much of the rest of the sequel. i hope you're gettin' good at finding those darn eggs. they can be difficult to locate at times, but i assure you they're there.

btw- if anyone is still clueless about some of those hidden easter eggs in the first installment (Lilies, SFL or FH), feel free to ask me about 'em. i'll gladly help you figure 'em out as long as they don't interfere with the sequel

so here we go.

**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story and a brand new DVR! I know! I'm excited, too. No more missing Keith Urban every day on CMT's Sexiest Videos. Have you _seen_ his "Raining on Sunday" vid? Wow.

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**Chapter 2

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She could feel her heart breaking. But what could she do?

He'd shut her out.

"Clark. Everyone has to go at some point. This was just his time."

Sure, it wasn't the most comforting sentiment. But what was right now?

He just sat there. Nothing. Not a word.

It was driving her crazy. She wanted to comfort him. She wanted to make him realize that it would all be okay.

She just wanted him to know that she was there.

"You don't know that."

Well, of course she didn't know it. But she'd accepted it. It's what happened.

She'd learned long ago that sometimes you just have to deal with whatever life throws at you.

"No. But…" She took a deep breath. "I do know that he's gone. And…there's nothing you can do to bring him back. You just have to accept that and try to move on. That's what he'd want."

She said it soft, but it came out harsh. And part of her regretted it. But it was also something he needed to hear. And she was sure no one else would tell him.

She watched him. He clenched his jaw and stayed focused on the picture.

"You don't know anything about him or what he'd want."

Wha-?

Where was this coming from? She knew he was angry, but he didn't have to be like this…even though part of her understood why he said it.

It's one of those many stages. She knew it well. Denial is almost always first. Anger, resentment, regret…all those are there, too. She'd experienced all of them and more.

But this was him. Sure, she'd seen him angry and upset before. She was with him when he found Alicia. She knows how he can wear his every emotion on his sleeve.

But now he was attacking her. She knew he probably didn't mean it. But that didn't help to ease the pain.

She reached out and put her hand on his arm. It was meant as a comfort.

He suddenly jerked his arm away from her touch and stood.

"Clark?"

She was confused. He still shut her out. She wanted to be there for him. She wasn't entirely sure why. But she was sure of one thing.

She wasn't ready to leave.

"Just go away." He spoke softly as he walked to the window. "I just wanna be alone."

She sighed. That might be what he wanted, but it wasn't what he needed.

She hated this. Her heart broke with his every word. He had been such a comfort to her in the last few weeks. She only wanted to repay him and be there for him. She at least owed him that.

But how could she when he didn't want to see or speak to her?

Slowly, she rose off the couch, keeping her arms folded against her chest, and walked to him. She had to try again.

She gently placed her hand on his arm. He only slightly flinched. A soft half-smile slowly formed on her lips.

At least he didn't pull away.

"Clark. I know you're hurting. Trust me. I've been there. There will be good days and bad days."

She couldn't help but think of it. It still haunted her. That week. She was beginning to understand why it affected her so much. He had been there. And it had changed everything.

Her sleeping was screwed up, she had trouble eating, and even her dreams were invaded by visions of her mother. That hadn't happened since she was a kid.

She could still see her blonde hair blowing in the wind, the bright sunlight sparkling all around them as they stood in front of the yellow farmhouse. Her heart sank as the image of her mother smiling at her became clearer. She wanted to cry. She wanted to just reach out and hug her.

Her bottom lip began to quiver. But he didn't notice. He never looked up at her.

Besides, she missed his dad, too. He was such a wonderful, honest, hard-working man. He'd do anything for anyone. Even her.

Chloe had called from Metropolis the night it happened. She couldn't make it in time, but Lois tried to rush to be with him…with both of them. She didn't know why, but she knew it was the right thing to do. And she knew he would've done the same thing for her.

He was in the waiting room with his mother. The trip to the hospital was really just a formality. They knew he was gone before they left the farm. But she still wanted to be with him no matter where he was.

When she walked in, he was holding up his mother as she had already collapsed in his arms. He tried to be strong. He tried to comfort her. But in reality, she knew he needed someone to collapse into, too.

She'd watched him stroke his mother's long auburn hair as he held her tightly. She saw the few tears stream down his face.

They hadn't seen her walk into the room and somehow she didn't think they'd notice her walking out. So, she left. She knew that moment was just for the two of them. Her time to comfort would come later.

She softened her voice again as she spoke.

"But, whatever you're feeling…if you have a good or bad day…" She paused to take a deep breath. "…just always know that I'll be here, no matter what."

It must've been building. She hoped it wasn't her words that did it. But before she knew it, he spun around and threw the picture against the wall of the barn, the glass shattering into tiny pieces, littering the old wooden planks. The picture frame fell to the floor, the photograph now more tattered than before.

She gasped and stepped away from him. He'd had a way of surprising her before, but this was on a completely different level. Part of her was afraid of his anger. But the other part of her knew she could handle it.

He slowly walked to the old sofa and sat, leaning forward on his elbows and putting his head in his hands.

Yep, she knew exactly what he was going through.

The picture still lay there. She walked to it and reached down at the smiling face. She picked it up and smiled as she studied it.

Even though he was adopted, Smallville definitely had his father's smile.

She turned to look at him. He wasn't moving. She knew he probably wanted to cry. She knew he more than likely wanted to hit something. After all, that's what she did after it happened some thirteen years ago.

She walked to the couch and sat next to him, still clutching the photo in her hand.

Taking a deep breath, she braced herself for what she was about to say. But she knew they'd be the right words. It's what helped when he said them to her anyway.

"You know, Clark. I've also heard that…a father's love never dies."

She could see it. His jaw clenched as he tried to stop his lower lip from quivering.

Now was her time.

She put her arm around his back and pulled him closer. He slowly fell into her as she wrapped both arms around him. She put her chin on the top of his head and very softly rocked back and forth.

Her heart broke with his every sob. She had to try hard to keep her own tears from forming.

She stroked his hair with one hand while looking at the photograph in the other. It would all be okay…someday.

But right now, this was what he needed. It was what they both needed. To sit and comfort.

So, maybe it fell because she thought of her mother. Maybe it fell because she cared so for his father.

But she certainly wasn't sure if she was ready to admit that the lone tear fell down her cheek…for him.


	3. Chapter 3

ok.. Chapter 3.

it's emotional and totally setting up future events. that's all i'm gonna give ya

i love my feedback for all of my fics. but the feedback in the Lilies Trilogy is especially loved since it's my baby.. so thanks for taking the time to post FB

so here we go...

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**Author: **Alison

**Disclaimer: **Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story. Hey, I wrote it, after all. Although, I do now own 5 official Keith Urban guitar picks as well as a Monkeyville passport holder. My cat is very jealous. **

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**Chapter 3

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She could feel it already. Her head hurt. She didn't want to open her eyes. But she had to.

One eyelid slowly opened.

Wait. This couldn't be right. Where was she?

The second eyelid popped open and took in her surroundings.

How did she--? When did she--?

What happened?

She remembered being in the loft with him. She held him for what seemed like hours. He cried the majority of the time, but then he became quiet. He wrapped his arms around her and they sat there holding each other. They must've fallen asleep together. But she couldn't remember.

But how did she get to his bedroom?

Slowly, she sat up and looked around. She was under the covers, wearing the same pantsuit she'd worn to the funeral yesterday.

Her heart sank at the mere thought of it.

She looked at the clock radio on his nightstand. It was already ten o'clock in the morning. She had things to do.

As she rolled out of bed, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror above his dresser. Ugh. She had to clean up before she could go anywhere.

She quietly opened his bedroom door and crept down the hall. She didn't know if Mrs. Kent was awake or not. She slipped into the bathroom and softly closed the door behind her. Pausing briefly, she looked at the shower curtain and thought back to when his mother found the two of them, wet and scantily clad, together in the bathroom. That was a fun day. The look on his face was enough to make her smile again at the memory.

She missed that. She missed him. She'd never admit it out loud, but she missed him.

Grabbing a towel out of the cabinet, she walked to the sink and turned on the faucet. She splashed some cold water on her face and then gently patted it dry with the plush cotton towel.

It was different now. She was trying to get through to him. Was this what he was going through only a few short weeks ago with her?

She reached for his brush and tried to smooth her thick hair. She wanted to go home. She needed to go home. But something was telling her she was needed just a little longer with this family.

Sighing and blowing her bangs out of her eyes, she took one last look in the mirror, straightened her suit jacket and headed out the door and towards the stairs.

Maybe she could surprise Mrs. Kent and fix her some breakfast. Ha! Yeah, right.

Wait. Breakfast. Food. Oh no! She completely forgot about all the food she'd left sitting out the night before. She'd promised Mrs. Kent she'd put it away. That's just what the recently widowed woman needed. Way to go, Lane.

She picked up the pace and bounded down the stairs. She stopped suddenly when she saw the scene before her.

Mrs. Kent looked as though she'd been up for hours. The house seemed to sparkle. The older woman had apparently been cleaning all morning. All of the food that had been left sitting out the previous night was nowhere to be found.

Lois slowly walked to Mrs. Kent, who was meticulously scrubbing the stove.

"Mrs. Kent?"

The older woman glanced up and flashed a weak smile at her.

"Oh, good morning, Lois. Would you like something to eat? I can whip up some pancakes for you, if you like?"

Pancakes? Good morning?

Didn't this woman's husband die a few days ago? Last night she was so…distraught. She didn't even want to talk.

And where was Smallville this morning?

She glanced in the living room. Nope. Not there. No sign of him. No pillow, no blanket. He always slept on the couch before when she occupied his bedroom. What was going on?

She turned back to Mrs. Kent.

"Oh, no thanks, Mrs. Kent." She paused and watched her furiously clean the stovetop, not twice, but four times over. "You know, I don't think it's gonna get any shinier." Mrs. Kent kept scrubbing. Lois sighed. "Mrs. Kent?" Scrub, scrub, scrub. "Okay, I'm sure Mr. Clean would be proud, but this has gotta stop." She grabbed the sponge out of her hand and tossed it in the sink.

Mrs. Kent put her hand on her head and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Lois. It's just…" She paused and looked just inside the living room. Lois followed her gaze. The old brown jacket he always wore still hung on the old hall tree. Mrs. Kent sighed before continuing. "...everything here reminds me. It's not that I don't want to remember. I guess, now that he's gone, I'm just afraid I'm going to forget."

Lois wanted to cry. She could feel it.

She had more in common with his mother than she'd ever realized.

Mrs. Kent walked to the island and sat on the stool.

Lois let her head hang as she watched her put her head in her hands.

What more could she do?

Should she give the same speech as before? Did she even have a right to?

She sighed and walked to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Mrs. Kent, I promise you'll never forget. No matter what happens…you will never forget."

She said it partly because it was true, and also in part because she thought of her mother every day.

No. You never forget.

Mrs. Kent looked up as their eyes met. Lois could see the redness again. She could see the tears forming. She looked down and nodded.

Lois wasn't sure what made her do it. But she reached out and slowly pulled Mrs. Kent into a hug. The older woman hopped off the stool and hugged Lois even tighter. She closed her eyes as she embraced his mother. She didn't even know it was there, but a tear slowly fell down her cheek.

A few weeks ago she would've kicked herself for letting it fall. But now… Two escaped in the last twenty-four hours. How many more tears were gonna fall?

She quickly wiped the tear as Mrs. Kent released her embrace.

She'd been thinking about him ever since she woke up. But when she saw his mother…well. She just couldn't bear to ask it then. But now that she was wiping the tears away, maybe it was her chance.

Deep breath.

"Have you seen Clark this morning?"

Was that the best way to say it?

Mrs. Kent kept her head down and sniffed back the tears as she spoke.

"He finished up his chores earlier this morning, then he said he had somewhere he needed to go to think about some things. I'm not too sure where that is though."

She wasn't sure either. But she had a gut feeling.

And Lois Lane never ignored her gut.

"Mrs. Kent, are you going to be okay? I mean, I need to run some errands, but I can come back later and help you around here if you--"

"No, Lois." Mrs. Kent smiled faintly. "It's okay. I'll be fine." Lois smiled and nodded before turning to grab her coat off the hall tree in the living room. She walked to the door and grabbed the doorknob, taking her keys out of her pocket as she threw on her coat. "Besides, Clark needs you more than I do right now."

She froze as she stepped halfway out the door onto the porch.

Um…what?

She looked at Mrs. Kent, who stood next to the kitchen island…smiling that knowing Mrs. Kent smile.

"Uh…whatd'ya mean?"

What was she doing? What was Mrs. Kent doing?

The older woman sighed as she lifted her coffee mug to her lips.

"Just go to him, Lois. You may be the only one that can get through."

She felt the chill sweep through her body. She'd blame it on the cold winter weather. But deep down…she knew better.

The door softly closed behind her as she made her way down the old wooden porch steps and across the driveway to her car. The snow had stopped falling, but it was pretty deep. She sighed as she looked at her snow-covered car. She'd have to scrape the windshield before she could go anywhere.

After several minutes of warming up the car and scraping the ice and snow off all the windows, she hopped in and slowly drove down the snowy dirt lane. She turned on the main road and drove in the now all too familiar direction.

She knew exactly where he was. She knew because it's where she'd be, too.

She turned off the road and parked her car. Would he want to talk? Would he want to tell her to leave? She braced herself for anything. After all, she knew she could handle it.

Opening the door, she stepped out into the deep snow. Thank goodness she wore her boots. She'd hate to walk through snow in heels.

She should've seen it when she pulled in. It was brilliantly visible against the white snowy backdrop.

But there he was. His red jacket gave him away.

She slowly walked to him. Did he even hear her coming through the snow? She couldn't be sure. She stopped next to him. He didn't look at her. He kept his face down, staring at the gray marble stone.

Her heart jumped. It jumped because she remembered the first time she saw the memorial he'd given her. It also jumped because it was then she realized how much she loved his father.

She couldn't say anything. If she did, she'd cry.

So, she just stood next to him.

But she had to say something. Wasn't this an uncomfortable silence? Shouldn't she be drowning in fear right now?

The fear, however, wasn't there. She wasn't afraid to stand in the cemetery with him and stare silently at his father's grave.

She wasn't sure if she should leave. She wasn't sure if she should give him his space. After all, he hadn't said anything to acknowledge her presence.

She was about to turn and walk away. She was about to ignore Mrs. Kent's words. But then, he slowly reached out and gently took her hand in his.

And it was then she knew he needed her.


	4. Chapter 4

first of all, i've been a little slack in thanking all of you for the wonderful feedback. i really do love it and you'll never know what great motivation it truly is for me.

so.. chapter 4. i'm not even going to begin to tell you how much i cried writing this one, but you should all buy stock in Kleenex.

anyway, this is THE chapter, at least as far as i'm concerned. it's answering some questions about the past, present AND future. coughthirdinstallmentcoughcough

so...on with chapter 4!

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**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story and two tickets to DukesFest 2006 in Nashville on June 3-4. Then I'm hanging around for CMA Fan Fair June 8-11 in Nashville. Oh yeah, I'm gonna meet Bo Duke AND Keith Urban in the same week! I know you're jealous. My cat is, too.

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**Chapter 4**

The door softly closed behind her. She leaned her head against it and took a deep breath. She was exhausted and cold.

Thank goodness Mrs. Kent called and told her to take the day off. She didn't know she was going to work that night at the Talon. There was just too much on her mind.

Like him.

It was driving her crazy. She wanted to be around him. She wanted to be with him. She just wanted him to know that she was there for him to lean on if he needed her.

The handhold told her he did.

She sighed and took her coat off, hanging on the hook by the door. A long hot shower might warm her up and make her feel better.

She unzipped her boots and pulled them off as she made her way to the bathroom. As she walked in the bathroom, unbuttoning her suit jacket, she felt something in her pocket.

Her heart sank. She instantly knew.

She reached in and pulled it out. The old photograph was scratched from the broken glass. But there he was, smiling at her.

She missed him. Sure, he wasn't her father. But he was _his_ father. And she knew how much he meant to him.

It was still overwhelming. She didn't know why it was affecting her so much. But she'd grown to love his father as if he were her own. She silently knew he cared for her as if she were his own, too.

Her bottom lip began to quiver. It was bound to happen sooner or later. She hadn't really mourned his death. It was only a matter of time.

She sat on the edge of the bathtub, still gripping the picture. She tried to sniff back the tears, but it was no use. They fell anyway.

The sobs were uncontrollable as she slowly slid off the edge and onto the bathmat in the floor. She began to rock back and forth, pulling her knees to her chest as she cried.

He'd been so nice to her. He'd welcomed her into their home and into their lives. He just…cared.

No one had done that before. But that family… They'd proven to her how much they cared about her. She'd always be grateful to them.

She took a deep breath as the tears slowed. She sniffed and wiped her face.

A shower. She needed a shower.

Placing her hand on the side of the tub, she hoisted herself up and reached for the faucet. She turned it on, first running her hand under the water to check the temperature then pulling the knob to turn the shower on.

She gently laid the picture on the vanity then stripped down and stepped over in the tub, pulling the curtain closed around her. The water instantly warmed her. It also calmed her as she closed her eyes and breathed deeply standing under the shower head.

Her mind drifted back to earlier. They held hands for a while. They just stood there. No words. They didn't need them. They both knew what the other thought, so why use words?

She didn't know how long they were out there. But it was long enough that her extremities were beginning to freeze. She didn't want to leave, but it was so cold.

She turned to look at him and saw the grief still on his face. But he wasn't crying anymore. In fact, he had the same expression as the day before during the funeral. He was stoic.

"I need to go. But I'll come by to see you later."

He hadn't said anything in response. But he didn't need to.

The gentle squeeze of her hand let her know he heard and was okay.

She didn't want to pull away. She didn't want to let go of him.

But she took a deep breath and slowly released his hand. There would be time enough later for them.

She slowly turned and walked away from him. It was too cold for the tears to flow freely, but she did have to sniff back the few that wanted to fall. She hopped in her car and drove back to the Talon. His mother called on the way and told her not to worry about working today. She knew she had a rough last couple of days, too and figured she could use the rest. Mrs. Kent _always_ knew.

Why had this family gotten to her? Why had they affected her so much?

She sighed and opened her eyes as the warm water hit her and steamed up the tiny bathroom.

Why had _he_ affected her?

He made her nervous and excited at the same time. He drove her crazy.

Yet he always seemed to be around when she needed him, even if she didn't realize she needed him.

She grabbed the loofah and bodywash as she thought over the last few weeks.

They'd become best friends, not purposely, but really by accident. If he hadn't walked in that night when she was so vulnerable, so defenseless, who knows where they'd be now?

They learned to trust each other. He'd come to her for advice about college and she, in turn, confided in him that she was beginning to warm up to the idea of journalism. She really loved those classes Chloe convinced her to take. She was even thinking of transferring to Met U for fall semester.

He seemed happy for her and even told her that he was thinking of transferring in the fall, too. She knew the only reason he went to Central Kansas was because of Lana. Now that she wasn't around much anymore, mainly because of Lex, he felt the need to go somewhere else.

He'd even confessed to her that he was still trying to find where he belonged. She told him he wasn't alone in that, but she had every confidence that he'd find a way to make a difference in the world.

She amazed herself at that comment. A year ago, she never would've imagined she'd be so close to him, let alone his best friend.

But she was. And she loved it.

She really did love being around him. He was pretty good at one of two things: annoying the crap out of her and making her smile when she least expected.

She smiled at the many examples that came to mind with each of those as she gently scrubbed her body with the loofah.

The past few days had been rough, though. She hadn't smiled. He hadn't made her laugh. She'd had trouble talking to him. She wasn't sure if anything she'd said over the past twenty-four hours even got through to him. She thought it might have judging by his reach for her hand, but she couldn't be completely certain.

She just wanted to be with him. He made her feel better whether he knew it or not.

But she wasn't ready to admit anything out loud just yet. She didn't know what to do. Seeing him crying over his father's death was just so…heartbreaking. It was also very reminiscent of her after her mother's death.

Lucy would come in her bedroom at night and want to know why she was crying. She used various excuses such as a stomachache, a bruise on her knee, a splinter.

Once, shortly after her mother died, Lucy found her crying in bed because the General yelled at her when she broke her mother's handheld mirror she always used at her dressing table. She became so mad staring at herself in it, seeing her mother's face instead of her own, that she threw it on the tile floor in the bathroom, shattering the glass into tiny pieces that littered the floor. Her father came in screaming at her. She yelled back at him, ran to her bedroom and slammed the door. She didn't speak to him for a week.

So, she knew exactly what he was going through with his father's death. She understood better than anyone.

That's why she promised herself that she'd always be there for him. Even if there were no words. She'd still be there.

The warm water cascaded over her as it washed the suds off her body. She reached for the shampoo and squeezed it into her hands as she worked it through her wet hair.

She wasn't quite ready to admit it out loud how much she cared for him. She didn't know what she was afraid of. Maybe it was just the fear of change. Maybe it was the fear of the unknown.

But over the last few weeks, and especially the last few days, something _had _changed. She didn't know what it was. Was it just the fact they'd grown closer? Was it simply because they trusted each other?

She didn't know. And it was making her crazy.

But every time she saw him and every time she touched him, she felt it.

She couldn't be sure what it was, but it felt a lot like…a flutter.


	5. Chapter 5

ok.. chapter 5. once again.. emotional. and i want everyone to keep in mind what i said from the outset with this sequel. it would be angstier and more emotional than the first installment. so don't let this chapter fool ya..

so here we go..

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**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story and tickets to CMA Fan Fest in June. Oh yeah, gonna party in Nashville with Keith Urban. Don't worry, my cat will take pictures.

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**Chapter 5**

It was second nature to her now. She drove there so often. Every time she turned down the dirt path it almost felt like she was going home.

She was so nervous. She'd been crying all day. It'd hit her in waves. She'd be fine one minute, then the next she'd break down. The slightest thing reminded her.

It was worse when she stepped out of the shower and saw the picture lying on the sink. She didn't mean to look at it. But the moment she did, she couldn't control the sobs.

It only helped to further remind her how much she missed him.

The red car pulled up to the yellow farmhouse. It was later than she meant to show up, but she had to prepare herself before she could see him again. She took a deep breath before stepping out of the car and closing the door.

She really loved this place. She looked up at the clear, crisp cold night sky as she pulled her coat tighter around her body. The stars were brightly scattered across the black sky overhead. The full moon illuminated everything around her as she watched her breath in the night air.

The blue pickup truck was in the driveway, but Mrs. Kent's car was gone. She wasn't at the Talon when she left her apartment. Maybe she had to run some errands.

Was he even home? She figured he was. Would he be in his loft? It was nearly nine o'clock.

She glanced from the house to the barn. The light wasn't on.

It's not that she minded the barn. It's just it was cold. And the barn could be, well…drafty.

But she had to try and talk to him again. Or at the very least, she just wanted to make sure he was okay. She knew he wasn't. But she just thought if she was there, then maybe, just maybe, he'd be alright.

She turned back towards the house and walked up the steps to the door. She peeked inside and saw the kitchen light still on. Well, someone was at home.

She tried the doorknob, turning it until the door slowly popped open.

"Hello?" She stepped through and into the dimly lit kitchen. "Mrs. Kent? Smallville?" She gently closed the door behind her and walked farther into the house. "Anyone home?"

Nothing. Not a sound.

She took off her coat and hung it on the nearby hall tree, then turned and softly made her way up the stairs.

Were they asleep? Surely not. They wouldn't have left the door unlocked.

She rounded the corner at the top of the landing and walked down the dark hall. She glanced in his bedroom. Nothing.

Was she sure anyone was at home?

She was beginning to worry that something was wrong. But someone would've called her, right? Chloe or …someone would've called her.

She was about to turn around and go back downstairs to grab her cell phone to call Chloe when something in Mrs. Kent's bedroom caught her eye.

He was just sitting on the edge of the bed.

She walked into the dark room, the only light from the full moon shining through the windows.

She hesitated. What was he doing? Did he want her there?

Was that even a question? She already gathered from earlier that he not only wanted her there, but he needed her.

"Clark?"

He sniffed. But no words.

What should she say? What should she do?

She took a deep breath and was about to say something…anything. But he beat her to it.

"You know…when I was little, my parents used to let me crawl in bed with them when I was afraid." His bottom lip began to quiver as he clenched his jaw. She slowly walked closer to him and stood at the foot of the bed, grabbing one of the posters of the antique four-poster bed as she leaned against it. "But…my dad would tell me every time I'd jump in between them that one day…I'd have to face my fears alone." He paused as she tried to desperately hold back her own tears. "I guess…I guess that day has finally come."

She couldn't do it. She couldn't hold them in forever.

He never flinched as she moved closer and sat beside him on the bed. So, she'd let one or two fall. They were tears for a friend, right? Her best friend, right?

She took a breath and paused while she searched for the right words.

"Clark. You are never alone." They were coming. They were welling up inside. Take another breath. "There will always be someone here for you." Another breath. They were closer. Don't let them fall. "I will always be here for you." Almost. Please don't lose it. Don't lose control. "And…you're not alone tonight."

What made her do it, she'll never be sure. But she slowly reached out and took his hand in hers.

They'd been here before. It wasn't the first handhold.

But it was the first she'd initiated. And she was oddly…comfortable.

She just couldn't bear to see him hurting like this. She knew the pain he was in. She knew his grief. She knew he wanted revenge, to blame something or someone.

She knew he just wanted him back.

She knew…him.

They'd been through so much and never said a word. They could amuse, comfort or anger one another with a simple glance.

"Besides…you're never dealt more than you can handle. And if you can't, then that's what I'm here for, right?"

She smiled through the tears that wanted to fall as he laughed softly and a tiny smile formed.

He kicked off his shoes and slowly spun around on the bed, laying his head on the pillow. She released his hand as he scooted over and motioned to her.

Did he--? Was she--?

Well, they had fallen asleep at her apartment once while watching a movie. And they did fall asleep together last night in the loft.

She'd just stay with him until he fell asleep. Or, at the very least, until he felt somewhat better.

She kicked off her shoes, as well and lay on her back on the edge of the bed next to him. He put his arm around her torso as he lay on his side.

Maybe it was all the talk of their parents. Maybe it was what she'd been through in the last few weeks.

But for some reason, it just came out as they lay there together in his parents' bed, watching the moonlight filter through the windows.

She took a deep breath and began to softly sing as she gently rubbed the back of his hand as it lay on her stomach.

"_Moon river, wider than a mile. I'm crossing you in style someday. Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker. Wherever I'm going, you're going my way. Two drifters off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see. We're after the same rainbow's end. Waitin' 'round the bend. My huckleberry friend. Moon river and me."_

Before she'd even finished, he'd drifted off to sleep.

She wasn't entirely sure if she'd gotten through to him. She wanted to be there for him and somehow comfort him.

As the moonlight poured through the windows, she turned to look at him and placed a small kiss on his forehead.

She was about to resign the fact that getting through was going to be a bigger challenge than she thought.

But then he slowly took her hand.

And so, she let him hold it, all night long.


	6. Chapter 6

okay, Chapter 6.. sorry for the hiatus. will not be so long next time ;)

all i'm gonna say is..remember the clues. remember the easter eggs. remember **Lilies**. :)

----------------------------------------------------------

**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer: **Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc, etc, etc. I only own the story, so please don't take that away from me. The only thing I no longer own is my appendix. And maybe my nice attitude. Just ask the docs at the ER...or my cat.

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**Chapter 6**

She didn't know if she'd slept. Had she dreamed he was there with her?

She was barely awake when he slowly slid out of the bed on the other side and walked out of the room. She saw his silhouette in the morning sunlight as it filtered in through the windows. He walked out of the room, but she couldn't get up just then. She couldn't say anything.

What would she say? She was running out of words. She didn't know how much longer she could try to find the right thing to say or do.

She rolled over on her side towards the center of the bed and pulled her knees close to her chest. His scent was still there. She took a deep breath as her hand slowly reached up and grasped the pillow. She bit her lower lip as she closed her eyes and sighed.

Why was she like this? Was it just the events of this week? Was it what happened before between them?

She could feel it. The tears were there.

But why? Why did she want to cry? Because of him?

Sure, she cared for him. He was her best friend. Even though she'd never admit it out loud, part of her already knew her feelings.

But she held his hand. She even sang to him. She closed her eyes tighter at the thought and buried her head in the pillow.

What did he think of that? She probably made a fool of herself. He probably felt sorry for her.

But…then again…he did hold her hand. All night. He never left her side. Of course, she didn't leave him either. She couldn't.

She could see how much his father's death affected him. She knew how he was hurting. And for some reason, she felt she was the only one that could get through.

"Lois?"

Her eyes popped open.

Oh no.

There would be questions. She just knew it.

"What are you doing in Mrs. Kent's bed?"

See?

She rolled her eyes, took a deep breath and sat up, trying her best to avoid her cousin's investigative look, but to no avail.

Maybe this was what she needed. She hadn't really talked to Chloe since Mr. Kent's death. And Mrs. Kent was always telling her how much talking helps.

She placed her hand to her head, the headache already coming on. She spun her legs around and over the side of the bed as Chloe sat next to her.

"Hey, Chlo."

She hesitated. Maybe Chloe would forget the question she asked.

"Yeah, hey. Lois, what are you doing in Mrs. Kent's bed?"

Or not.

She sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing her temples as she tried to figure out how she was going to explain to her cousin what happened last night and how it must look this morning.

"It's nothing, Chloe. I just must've fallen asleep."

"In Mrs. Kent's bed? I thought you slept in Clark's bed when you stayed here?"

Why all the questions? Did it look that suspicious?

She sighed as she slipped her shoes on and pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

"I do, Chloe. But last night when I came over to check on Smallville, I found him in here. Just…sitting on the bed."

She trailed off as her thoughts drifted back to seeing him in the same spot she was now. She placed both hands on either side of her on the bed.

They hadn't even crawled in under the covers. They didn't even say another word to each other. She sang to him as he fell asleep. But she wasn't nervous, she wasn't freaked out. She didn't mind laying there in his parents' bed with him.

The thought that she wasn't freaked out about it did seem to freak her out. Why was she so comfortable with him?

"Well, his father's death had a huge impact on him, Lois."

"I know, Chloe." She paused. She didn't mean for it to sound as harsh as it did. "That's why I sat with him. We talked. That's all."

She hoped she wouldn't ask anything more.

"Right. Talked." Chloe paused, which was never a good thing. It meant she was thinking. Or deciding if she should hold back from what she really wanted to say. She heard her cousin take a breath. "So, then tell me this, Lois. Why do both pillows have indentations?"

Lois' head shot up at her cousin.

"What?" She turned to look at the two white pillows. Why did Chloe always have to be right? She stood and walked to Mrs. Kent's dresser, checking that her ponytail was straight in the mirror. "I don't know, Chloe. Maybe I rolled over to that side during the night."

There. Hopefully that would appease her cousin.

"Right. Sure, Lois." She paused again. "Are you sure you're okay? I mean, I know Clark's going through a lot right now, but this past week couldn't have been easy for you." Lois picked up Mrs. Kent's handheld antique mirror as she slowly turned to look at her cousin. "Am I right?"

Did she even have to ask?

It had been rough for her. But she didn't want to let anyone else know that. It wasn't about her. This wasn't her family. She'd just been thrown in the mix in this small town when she came to investigate Chloe's supposed death.

He'd been there for her in the beginning. He was there for her those few times she couldn't save herself. In her darkest hour, remembering her mother's death, he was still there. He might not have always understood her or what was going on, but he never left her. Even if he did, he still showed up later or surprised her when she least expected.

And his father…she loved his father. She missed him so much it literally hurt. But Smallville needed her more than she needed to grieve. She'd done enough of that recently anyway.

"No, Chloe. I mean, yeah." She shook her head as she looked in the mirror at her reflection. He was right. She really did look like her mother. She smiled weakly at the thought and laid the mirror on the dresser. "It's just…I don't know. I don't know what anything is anymore, Chlo. I thought things were…I don't know. I'm just…I'm not confused. I just don't know what it is." Chloe softly laughed. "I mean, I sang to him, Chloe. _Sang to him_."

"You what?" Oh crap. She didn't mean to. But that's what seemed to be at the forefront of her mind right then. "You sang to him? What did you sing? And more importantly, why?"

She sighed. She'd already told her that much. What could it hurt to tell her the rest?

After all, it's just Chloe.

"_Moon River_."

"You…what? But isn't that the song that--"

"Yeah. That's the one."

"Oh. Um. Wow. Okay. So, this is--"

"Yeah, it is, Chlo."

"So, what are you gonna do? I mean, what did he do?"

She smiled at remembering how he took her hand in his. He never said a word. But they both knew.

"He uh…he held my hand."

"Oh."

She wanted to talk about it, but at the same time, she just didn't want to dwell on it. After all, what if it was nothing?

Then again, it could be everything.

It would at least explain a lot.

She sighed.

She needed coffee.

"Yeah, but it's… Everything's okay, Chloe. Or it will be." She had a thought. "But what are you doing here? I thought you'd still be in Metropolis?"

Chloe rose off the bed and headed towards the door.

"I was, but I had to come to Smallville for something. Just thought I'd stop by and check in on Clark and his mom. See if they needed anything."

Lois nodded.

"Well I don't know about you, but I need some caffeine. Wanna go downstairs and grab some coffee?"

Chloe smiled as Lois walked towards her.

"Sure, but I can't stay long. I've gotta get back to Met U later."

"Okay, well you can catch me up on the latest big city gossip over a nice cup of joe."

Chloe laughed as she walked down the hall. Lois paused in the doorway of the bedroom, her hand on the doorframe. She looked back at the bed and the indentations in the pillows.

Her heart sank as she closed her eyes and sighed. She wanted to take away his pain. She knew the intensity of it. It was unbearable at times. She wasn't sure how she'd been able to do it alone as a kid.

It was then she realized maybe, just maybe, she might need him, too.


	7. Chapter 7

Ok.. chapter 7.

and just so you know, this is one of my favorite chapters i've ever written. and i'm in tears.

so remember.. _everything_ has meaning. they're not always just words on a page. :)

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**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story and a really cool brand new Nikon digital camera I used to take pictures of me hanging out with James D'Arcy and Joshua Jackson last week.

**------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 7**

It'd been a long day. But she hadn't really noticed.

She just couldn't stop thinking about it. It still weighed heavily on her mind even as she and Chloe sat in the Kent kitchen earlier sipping the hot mugs of coffee. It still affected her even through her evening shift at the Talon.

The long hot shower had at least relieved some of the tension she'd felt building all day.

She sighed as she slipped on her light blue bathrobe and dried the excess water out of her hair with the towel.

What was wrong with her? She felt so embarrassed. She didn't know what she'd do when she saw him again.

Oh, who was she kidding? She knew exactly what she'd do.

She'd ignore it.

Unless he brought it up. Then she'd make some excuse and feign temporary insanity and hope he buys it.

She reached into the cabinet for the hairdryer. Then, she heard it. It wasn't very loud, but she still heard it.

A soft knock. She slowly walked out of the bathroom, across her bedroom and to the door.

Who could it be? She didn't want to see anyone. She just wanted to go to sleep. She was exhausted, mentally and physically.

She grasped the doorknob and turned, pulling the door open.

And there he was.

A slight chill ran over her as she tugged at her bathrobe, pulling it tighter around her. She'd blame it on the wet hair and a draft.

"Smallville, what are you doing here? Do you know what time it is?" She didn't know why she was that way. She just was. Tonight she was tired. As much as she wanted to console him and help him overcome the pain, she just didn't want to spend that night doing it. She also didn't know how long the conversation would last until someone brought up the fact that they slept in the same bed last night. He looked a little taken aback. Okay, Lane. Back off just a little. She sighed and rolled her eyes, more out of frustration with herself than directed at him. "Is everything okay?"

He cleared his throat and shifted his footing. He held a black coat in one hand.

"Yeah, Lois." She raised her eyebrows and gestured with the hairdryer to the coat. "What? Oh, you left this at the farm. It was still hanging on the hall tree in the living room."

She took the black coat from his outstretched hand.

"Wow, I completely forgot I wore it there. I guess this morning I was still a little out of it since last night we--" Oh crap. Way to go, Lane. Okay, just smooth it over. Act like you never said it. She smiled and glanced up at him. "Thanks." She paused as she briefly studied him for a moment. He was acting weird. Weirder than normal…err…weirder than Clark. He seemed…nervous. "But you didn't have to bring this out here at eleven o'clock at night. So…spill it, Kent."

That's when it happened.

He looked back up at her with that beaming Kent smile.

"Well, I figured you'd need it tonight."

She furrowed her brow as she attempted to make sense of his usual confusion.

"Tonight? Smallville, I--"

"I've got something I wanna show you, Lois."

Anyone else and she wouldn't want to go. Anyone else who knocked on her door at nearly midnight and she would've kicked 'em in the groin.

Anyone else and she would've said no.

But after the events of the past few weeks, and last night, she just couldn't say it.

No. One look at those blue eyes and the beaming smile, she just couldn't tell him no.

She was curious though.

She did her best to cross her arms while still holding the hairdryer in one hand and her coat in the other.

"So, what is it that's so important you have to show me tonight?"

He shoved his hands deep in his jean pockets and looked to the ground.

"It's just…" He took a breath, looked up at her and smiled. "Just trust me."

Okay. Now it was even weirder.

She sighed as she looked at him. Maybe she'd just roll with it.

Act now, ask questions later. That was usually her motto anyway.

"Fine. But…I need to dry my hair and change clothes."

He nodded as she looked at him one last time before tossing her coat on the barstool and turning around and slowly walking back to the bathroom.

She stopped at the bathroom door, her hand on the door frame. She turned and looked back at him again. He just stood there, his hands still shoved deep in his pockets, his gaze to the floor.

What was the boy up to?

He didn't seem upset. At least, not that she could tell.

But something was definitely up with him.

She sighed and looked down, pausing before she continued into the bathroom to dry her hair and prepare for whatever he had up his sleeves.

Taking one last look in the mirror twenty minutes later, she paused for a brief second and realized just how anxious she was. He was outside her door, in her apartment. It was this time last night they were laying together in his parents' bed as she sang to him.

She sang to him. Maybe it would be forgotten.

Running her fingers through her hair one last time, she pulled her long-sleeve shirt down smoothing it out, and then slowly walked to the door.

She quietly turned the knob, opened the door and made her way across her bedroom. She stopped in the wide doorway of her bedroom when she saw him standing in her living room holding and studying a picture frame.

She smiled when she realized which picture it was.

"I decided that picture didn't need to be kept in a box any longer, even if it was always right on top." He turned around and smiled faintly when he saw her. They stared at each other briefly before she realized she was staring at him too long. She cleared her throat. "So…you ready to go see whatever this is you have to show me that I need a coat?"

He grinned and set the picture back on the coffee table.

"Sure."

He stepped to the door and opened it as she grabbed her coat off the barstool. He held it open for her as she walked out. He followed her all the way, down the stairs and out the front door to the beat up old blue pick up truck.

They drove down Main Street, continuing away from the bright lights of the small town. She glanced over at him. He had that same look as the day on the way to the cemetery. The day he gave her something she never dreamed possible.

He gave her mother back to her again. She'd been so obsessed with the pictures, pouring over them once a year, that in her attempts to remember her mother, she'd actually forgotten her.

But when he walked in her apartment unannounced that cold rainy night, it all changed.

Everything changed.

Her mother came to her in her dreams. She told her everything would be okay.

For some reason she felt closer and more at peace with her mother now than she ever had since the day she died.

She knew it was all because of him.

And she would never forget that.

The truck turned right off the main road and down a dirt path. He drove a couple of miles down the path and made another right turn into a field. He continued driving through the field to the small rise just beyond it.

He stopped the truck and cut the engine before opening his door.

What was this? Where were they?

What was going on?

She grabbed his arm as he began to slide out of the truck.

"Hold up there, Smallville." He turned back to her. "Where are we?"

He grinned.

"I just wanna show you something, Lois. Something…something that I think might help both of us."

What?

She knew she should've taken some aspirin before she left. Between his weirdness and confusion she was sure she'd have a migraine by morning.

She sighed and opened her door, watching him as he got out and slammed his door. He walked around to the bed of the truck and grabbed a couple of blankets.

"Whoa there, buddy. What are those for?"

He smiled and shook his head.

"Come on, Lois or we're gonna miss it."

What was he talking about?

"Miss what?"

He walked to a higher spot on the hill. She followed, tugging her coat tighter around her body as he unrolled one of the blankets and laid it on the ground. He sat down on the blanket, unrolled the second blanket, draping it across him and slowly laid back.

What was she doing here? It was freezing.

She looked out across the field below and past the farms. The lights from town dimly lit the sky. There was no moon, only stars. And they shone brighter than she'd seen in a long time.

"Come here, Lois." He patted the blanket as she looked down at him. "They should be starting soon."

She didn't know why she did it. Maybe her curiosity got the better of her. Maybe she was intrigued by his sudden childlikeness.

But she squatted next to him then laid down beside him on the blanket.

It all looked so much bigger laying down. The dark sky spread out above her, the stars twinkling against the black backdrop.

"Wow."

She saw her breath in the cool night air as she took it all in.

The silence only lasted a few seconds, but it seemed much longer.

"My dad used to bring me up here when I was a kid to watch the meteor showers, at least the ones that we knew wouldn't kill us, and just look at the stars." He paused, smiled and pulled the blanket higher across his chest. "He used to say…if you're ever confused, lonely or have lost your way, then just look to the stars. Because they'll always prove a light shines in a dark place."

She turned her head and looked at him, the brightness of the stars reflecting off his face. She couldn't help but smile.

"The wisdom of Jonathan Kent. I'll always miss that."

He turned his head to look at her.

"Me, too."

They were so close. She gazed in those baby blues longer than she should have. What was that feeling? She swallowed, hoping it would go away.

But it didn't.

A gleam of light streaking across the sky caught her attention.

She gasped as she pointed across him to the sky.

"Look! A shooting star!" She took a breath and softened her voice. "Wow…I haven't seen one of those since I was a kid."

He turned his head in the direction she pointed.

"I missed it. There'll be plenty more though. It's the Leonids meteor shower. Tonight is supposed to be the peak time to see 'em." He looked back at her as she lowered her arm, laying it across her chest. "So, what'd you wish for?"

She looked at him and grinned.

No way.

Not yet, anyway.

"Now, everyone knows, Smallville, that you can't tell or else it won't come true."

He laughed softly and nodded his head. He turned away from her, looking back up to the stars.

She took a deep breath as she continued to lie there, watching him as his eyes danced back and forth as if they were searching for something. What? She didn't know. Maybe another meteor, maybe answers to questions, or maybe more of his father's wisdom.

She was only sure of one thing at that moment. He was right. As usual.

This really had helped her. And she quietly knew it helped him, too.

Because now she'd seen one of those other many sides of Clark Kent, as his mother one time said. She could also feel the walls breaking. Over the last day and night, she knew those all too familiar walls were beginning to fall.

He was letting her back in. She only hoped her wish came true before he began to build those walls back up the way she so often did.

He looked at her and smiled, tossing half the blanket over her. She smiled, took a deep breath and leaned closer to him, pulling the blanket close under her chin.

It was completely involuntary. She never meant to lean her head so close to his. But she did.

As she continued to watch him point up proclaiming, "There's one!", she knew from that moment on her wish had to come true.

After all, Mr. Kent said it best.

There's always light in a dark place.


	8. Chapter 8

chapter 8. another martha-lo convo. it's once again full of plants, easter eggs, etc. some are blantantly obvious.. some aren't. but fun nonetheless ;)

so, here we go...

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**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to DC, WB/CW, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the plot and a framed pic of myself and British actor James D'Arcy hanging out last month at the Nashville Film Festival together. That's right, my friend. Framed.

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**Chapter 8**

She squinted in the morning sunlight as she lay in her bed, the covers pulled close to her chin. Her sleep had been screwed up lately. She couldn't sleep in nearly as long as she wanted anymore. The thoughts swirling in her head wouldn't let her. They interrupted her sleep and kept her awake.

But last night was…

She buried her face in the pillow and sighed.

She saw another side to him last night. And she was grateful once again that he'd shown up unannounced at her tiny apartment late at night.

Rolling over on her back, she took a deep breath.

That's when she noticed it.

Her eyes popped open even wider as she furrowed her brow. She knew that smell. She knew it very well.

Coffee.

Did she make some in her sleep again?

It'd happened before.

She threw the covers to the side and swung her legs over. Should she grab her bat?

But what kind of burglar breaks in and makes coffee?

Placing both feet on the floor, she pushed herself up off the bed and slowly made her way into the kitchen, stopping just in the wide doorway.

She couldn't believe it. But there she was, her long auburn hair down her back, holding a mug of coffee in her right hand while she studied the picture frame in her left.

But what was she doing there?

She never did get that lock fixed on the door.

She cleared her throat and slowly walked further into the room.

"Mrs. Kent?" His mother turned and smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Lois. Good morning. I hope you don't mind," she gestured to the coffee pot on the kitchen counter, "but Chloe said it's the thing to get you up in the morning."

Chloe said? Okay…what was going on?

"No, Mrs. Kent, it's fine. But," she shook her head and closed her eyes, trying to make sense of the older woman standing in her kitchen so early in the morning, "why are you here? Is everything okay?"

There was a long pause as Mrs. Kent stared, smiling at Lois.

She suddenly felt like adjusting her pajamas and smoothing down her hair. Her eyes shifted warily as Mrs. Kent sighed and looked to the floor, then slowly raised her head, looking her straight in the eyes.

"We need to talk, Lois."

Okay. Now it was really weird.

Everything couldn't have been alright. Was someone hurt? Was someone dying? Missing? Was it Smallville?

Lois hesitated before opening her mouth, something rarely done, but necessary as his mother stood unannounced in her tiny apartment that morning.

"Okay... Do you want to sit?" She motioned to the barstool at the island as Mrs. Kent nodded, setting the picture back on the table. Lois turned and reached in the cabinet for a coffee mug, pouring herself a cup as Mrs. Kent sat at the island. She sighed as she turned to face his mom. "So…"

"Lois, I'm here for two reasons this morning. And…I do want to apologize for just barging in, but…I just had to talk to you."

Why was there a sinking feeling in her gut?

Was this about last night? They didn't do anything. Nothing happened. Well…not that it would. But…

"It's okay, Mrs. Kent. Don't worry about it."

Mrs. Kent smiled, looking up from her still steaming mug of coffee.

"I want to thank you, Lois."

"Thank me? For what?"

What had she done to deserve thanks?

It was too early to be confused.

"For Clark. He's…happy. He's not…he's not uh…back to his usual self, but…he's happier than he's been since before…"

Mrs. Kent swallowed hard, looking back down at the coffee cup, the words still difficult to say.

Lois' heart broke. Who did Mrs. Kent have to turn to?

Sure, Clark had Lois, but…err..

No, no. He didn't have her. He just…he could… Well…

They had talked.

But Mrs. Kent, she hadn't talked to anyone since his death. Lois mentally kicked herself for not being there for his mother, too.

Lois set her mug on the counter and walked around to the woman. It was almost instinctive now between them. She reached for Mrs. Kent and pulled her into a hug. She closed her eyes as Mrs. Kent sniffed into her shoulder. Lois had to bite her lip to keep her own tears from forming.

"Lois, I--"

"I know, Mrs. Kent. I know."

How had they done it? How had this family sneaked into her heart and stolen it?

She wasn't sure. But somehow…they had. And she was grateful.

Lois pulled away, gently rubbing Mrs. Kent's shoulder as she wiped away the tears and smiled.

"I don't know why I do this. Some days are better than others. And some days…I just break down. The slightest thing will set off the tears."

Lois smiled. It was as if Mrs. Kent could read her mind.

"There's no need to explain, Mrs. Kent. Trust me, I know exactly what you mean."

She glanced over at the table to the picture. Some days were better than others. She was thankful today was one of those good days.

Mrs. Kent sighed softly as she rose off the barstool, turning around and walking back to the coffee table to pick up the picture.

"Lois…there's another reason I'm here."

Was this the bad news? Did she give her the good news first?

She crossed her arms and took a deep breath, waiting for whatever his mother had to say.

"Okay. Are you sure everything's alright, Mrs. Kent?"

Mrs. Kent turned around and smiled at her. She didn't have the beaming Kent smile. No, what she had was that knowing mother's smile. Lois was almost getting used to it. Almost.

"Don't be afraid, Lois."

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

Her mind raced with possible things she shouldn't be scared of.

"Of him."

Oh.

Not what she was expecting…

"Mrs. Kent, I--"

"Lois. I know my son pretty well. And I've grown to know you. And…all I'm saying is…I think you both need each other right now more than either of you will admit."

Um.

She took a deep breath and stared at his mother.

This was the one family in the world that could render Lois Lane speechless.

Mrs. Kent set the picture down on the coffee table and grabbed her coat off the sofa. She walked to the door, grasping the knob and pulling it open. She paused and turned to look at Lois.

"And Lois?" Lois looked up, dumbfounded that someone actually said out loud the words that'd been ringing silently in her head for the last few days. "Take today off. I'm sure you'll find… something to do." His mother gave one last knowing smile before closing the door behind her.

What just happened?

She stood there, motionless, the words still echoing loudly in her mind. It was too early to be thinking this much. She glanced up at the picture on the coffee table.

She studied it for a moment. Then, she smiled as it all finally began to click.

Even after all those years, her mother never failed to guide her.


	9. Chapter 9

sorry for the wait. been a lot going on in life away from the world of fic writing..

so here it is. enjoy. look for the breadcrumbs and easter eggs.. they're really there. and don't be fooled by the end of this chapter. i did say darker, right? the next chapter should be up soon.

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**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to DC, WB/CW, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story so please don't take that away from me. My cat stole my 'Bo-Delicious' shirt after I got back from DukesFest. She claims it looks better on her. I said Bo Duke would disagree.

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**Chapter 9**

"Chloe, I need your help."

She'd driven all morning to get to Metropolis. This wasn't the kind of thing that could've been discussed over the phone.

Chloe plopped in her swivel desk chair as Lois sat on the edge of the desk in the basement of the Daily Planet.

"Sure, Lois. But what's so important that you had to come all the way here this morning?"

Did she really want to answer that? Was she ready to?

Just say it. Just tell her what you want to do.

She'd thought about it all the way there. She vaguely knew what she wanted to do. The idea was in her head, but she need to flesh it out with someone. And Chloe was the perfect someone.

She took a deep breath.

"I want to do something."

Well, that wasn't vague at all, Lane.

Chloe looked confused as Lois tried to avoid her cousin's questioning eyes.

"Okay, Lois. But you know I can't help you unless you tell me what it is you want to do, right?"

Yeah, yeah. She knew that.

But it was just the fact that she was about to admit out loud a little piece of a much larger puzzle. And if anyone figured out that puzzle, and it got back to him, well, she didn't know if she was ready for anyone to know. She didn't know if she was ready to know either.

She closed her eyes and braced herself for the eventual onslaught of questions and knowing smirks.

"I want to do something for Clark, okay?"

She didn't want to do it. She didn't want to open her eyes.

But she did. And there was that smirk plastered all over Chloe's face.

Lois rolled her eyes and stood, crossing her arms as she walked away from her cousin and over to the copy machine.

"Oh, come on, Lois. I figured it had to be something like that to make you come all the way here on such short notice. I mean, besides, what else has even been on your mind lately other than Clark?"

Lois slowly turned around, her arms still crossed against her chest. She stared at Chloe, smiled faintly, then lowered her gaze to bustling Daily Planet's hard stone floor.

Did Chloe even understand? Did she even realize all that happened between her and Clark lately? Did she know how close they were? How they didn't need words between them? That it only took one look for either to know what the other thought?

Maybe if she showed her…

She walked to Chloe's desk and reached in the bag she'd brought. Maybe this would…

"I want to do something with this."

She held out the torn and tattered picture as Chloe took it from her.

"Lois…"

"I know, Chloe. I just… I want to do something with it, but I just don't know what. All I know is that I want to do it…for him."

Chloe smiled. And this time it looked more heartfelt. Maybe she did understand after all.

"Well, what if we did more than just this?"

"What'dya mean?"

"A scrapbook."

Scrapbook? Why didn't she think of that?

She looked at Chloe, a smile on both their faces. She knew it wouldn't be a wasted trip to Metropolis that morning.

"A scrapbook? Maybe of Mr. Kent's whole life? His achievements, awards…"

"Right, with pictures from his childhood and with Mrs. Kent and Clark. I could even find some newspaper clippings from the Smallville Ledger and the Daily Planet from his campaign and Senate run and that time he won the Smallville Best Citizen Award."

She grinned as Chloe stood and handed the picture back to her. It was happening. She could feel it. It was that all-over tingly feeling. It was excitement and anticipation. It was finally finding something that might just make him feel better. A small token of how she really felt, sure, but something nonetheless.

"Thank you, Chloe." She pulled her closer into a hug. "I couldn't have done this without you."

"Oh, sure you could have. It might not have been as good…"

Lois pulled away and lightly slapped her cousin on the arm.

"But how are we going to get family photos? I mean, what do I do? Break in to the Kent house and rummage around until I find some pictures?" Chloe grinned and raised her eyebrows. "Oh, no. Chloe…"

"Come on, cuz. It'll be…fun." She paused as Lois gently slid the picture back into her bag. "Besides…I thought you wanted to do something for him?"

She did. She just didn't like the idea of breaking and entering in order to make him feel better.

"I do, Chlo, but…"

She didn't know why it happened, but her mind immediately drifted back to last night. She was completely taken by surprise at his gesture to make them both feel better. For those brief few hours, it was only the two of them, lying in a field watching shooting stars dance across the cold, crisp night sky. They'd laughed, shared a blanket and fondly recalled his father's wisdom.

Then, something happened that shouldn't have. Or maybe it should have. It did feel right somehow. Sometimes she wondered if there was always going to be that small part tugging at her, wondering if it should feel right with him, of all people.

But she rose as he moved his arm under her. She rolled on her side and laid her arm across his chest, her head resting on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. It was so instinctive for both of them that she didn't think much of it until nearly three in the morning when they'd finally decided they should head home.

They were so comfortable with each other. They were so in tune together. They just…clicked. It made sense, but it didn't. She just hated to see him upset. She knew what he was going through. She'd been there herself. She just wanted to make him happy.

"Then do this for him and make him happy, Lois."

She glanced up at Chloe and smiled. Sometimes, she swore that girl could read her mind.

She reached for Chloe and pulled her into another hug. Both girls smiled and Lois closed her eyes as she tightly hugged her.

"Thanks, Chlo."

Lois pulled away and picked up her bag.

"No problem, cuz. Just give me a call when you've got something."

"I will." She turned to head out the door, but stopped and slowly turned around. Chloe had sat back in her chair and was already speedily clicking away at her keyboard. "And, Chloe…" Her cousin glanced up from her desk. "Let's not mention this little project to anyone, okay? Especially…Mrs. Kent."

Chloe's eyes went wide as Lois smirked and turned to leave, heading up the stairs. Apparently, Chloe didn't think Mrs. Kent was the tattle-telling kind.

It was finally all coming together. It was finally all making sense.

She stepped outside the massive Daily Planet doors into the bright sunlight and walked down the street to her car.

It was finally all going to be okay.


	10. Chapter 10

thanks for the feedback. you know i love every bit of it!

so here's chapter 10. i'm glad so many of you are catching those parallels between the first installment of this trilogy and now. and those breadcrumbs and easter eggs are still pretty important, too!

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**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to DC, WB/CW, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story, so please don't take that away from me. My cat also tried to steal my "I Heart Bo Duke" tshirt when I returned from DukesFest. I told her we should race for it. She drove Rosco's police car whilst I borrowed John Schneider's own General Lee. Needless to say, I won. Bo Duke would be so proud.

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**Chapter 10**

That little dirt lane was so familiar that it sometimes found its way into her dreams. And it was gradually feeling more like home each time she remembered it.

She could feel her stomach doing flips. Was anyone even home? Mrs. Kent should've been out running errands or taking care of some political duties. And Clark…well. Who knew where he could've been?

There were no vehicles in sight as she pulled up to the bright yellow farmhouse. Good. There'd be no witnesses. This would make it much easier.

She cut the engine, stepped out of the car and walked towards the house. It was only early afternoon, so maybe they were both out for the day.

She could only hope.

The wooden steps of the old house creaked under her feet as she made her way onto the porch. She squinted through the glass into the kitchen. No lights on, so hopefully no one at home.

Grasping the door knob, she slowly turned it and quietly stepped into the house, closing the door gently behind her.

Why do people still leave their doors unlocked in this day and age? No. Strike that. Why do people in Smallville, the freak capital of the world, still leave their doors unlocked?

She shook her head even though she was grateful the Kents were still trusting enough to never lock their door.

"Now, if I was Mrs. Kent's box of family photos, where would I be?"

She stood in the kitchen, the faint light filtering in through the windows, her hands on her hips as she gently bit her lip, her eyes searching all around. She slowly walked into the living room, carefully scanning every bookshelf, every nook and cranny, every crevice. She walked in between the sofa and coffee table.

Maybe it was Mr. Kent guiding her. Maybe it was her mother, too.

But something told her to sit.

She slowly sat on the edge of the sofa. It only took a few seconds for her eyes to find it. But there it was, right where she should've known. They were right where she kept her own.

She reached for the large old shoebox on the shelf under the coffee table. Her mouth fell open and she laughed softly when she saw just what type of shoebox it was.

On the end read _Tan Cowboy Work Boots, sz. 11_.

Her heart sank as she took off the lid and laid it on the table.

Mrs. Kent was right. There were reminders everywhere of him.

And part of her found something right in the fact that it was his old shoebox holding the family photos.

She scooted up to the edge of the couch to get a better look inside the dusty box. Very gingerly, she reached in and picked up a handful of the photos.

The first one made her laugh. It was a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Kent when they were very young, probably fresh out of college. Mr. Kent was holding a sprig of mistletoe above her head, his eyes closed and his lips puckered as Mrs. Kent rolled her eyes and smiled.

She laid it to the side as her smile faded when she saw the next photo in her hand.

Mr. Kent held a young Clark in his arms, tickling him. The beaming Kent smile was spread across both their faces.

She sighed softly as she stared at it.

They were such a family. Such a perfect family.

She once again secretly wished she could've been a part of them.

"Lois?"

Oh, no, no, no. It couldn't be.

She quickly stood, dropping the pictures back into the box and tossing the lid back on top. She tucked her hands in the back pockets of her jeans as she turned to face him.

That's it, Lane. Just be cool. You can handle this. You can handle him.

"Hey, Smallville. What's up?"

What's up? That's the best she could do?

And Chloe wanted her to be an investigative reporter. Ha! She'd have to figure out a better way to act undercover because, so far, she sucked.

"Lois, what are you doing here?"

Stall! Stall!

"Um, I was just… Uh…well. You see, Smallville. I was going to--"

The screen door slammed as Mrs. Kent staggered in with both arms full of brown paper grocery bags. Mrs. Kent froze when she walked in. She slowly put one bag on the counter as Clark helped her set the others on the island.

"Oh, hey, Lois."

Oh crap.

And then there were two.

Lois cleared her throat and avoided all eye contact, instead choosing to look anywhere but the two of them.

"Hey…Mrs. Kent. I was just--"

"Is that part of that project you're working on, Lois?"

Project? What?

Did Chloe talk?

He looked from his mother and back to Lois.

"Project? What project?"

What was going on? What should she say?

She was usually pretty good at thinking on her feet.

But he was there. And once again he somehow managed to screw up her whole thought process.

Mrs. Kent set her keys on the counter as she spoke, then waved her hand in the air.

"Oh, just some project for uh, what was it again, Lois? A special feature about Jonathan for the Smallville Ledger?"

A what for the what?

Oh just go with it, Lane. It's better than anything you've come up with so far.

She smiled, relieved there was finally an excuse.

"Right. Yes, a project for the Ledger."

"Well, you better get to work on it, then. Don't let us keep you."

What the…?

Okay…just pick up the box and run.

"Right. Yes, I will...get to work." She turned, picked the box up off the coffee table and quickly walked towards the door, completely ignoring his questioning stare as she strolled past him. "Bye."

She briefly made eye contact with his mother as she reached the door. There was something about that woman. Something wonderful. She didn't know how she knew, but… She was grateful.

His mother winked at her as she quickly pushed open the screen door and ran down the steps to her car. She threw open the door and hopped inside, tossing the box on the passenger seat. She stuck the key in the ignition and turned it. She grasped the wheel at ten and two, pausing for a moment to catch her breath and laying her head on her hands.

When did it all become so difficult?

She got caught. She got caught by him! This was just great. Did he know? Could he tell what she was doing? And just how long had he been standing there before he said anything?

Should she even go through with it now?

She raised her head and saw the old blue tractor sitting just outside the barn. Her stream-of-consciousness connected her back to walking into the loft the day of the funeral. She saw the tractor then, too. She remembered driving up one day and seeing him and his father working on it. She then thought about how upset he was in the loft. How he threw the picture of his father. How he cried when she held him.

And how she cried, too.

That's when she knew, no matter what, she had to do it…for him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to DC, CW, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story and a stuffed voodoo Jack Sparrow doll from a McDonald's Happy Meal.

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**Chapter 11**

The warm cup of coffee felt good in her hands. She brought the mug to her lips, hesitating as she closed her eyes and breathed the comforting aroma.

She walked from her kitchen island to the coffee table. The box was still sitting in the same spot. She'd been so nervous after running into both of them, she had to take a quick shower to calm her nerves as soon as she got home.

The small but building flame in the fireplace crackled as she sat on the rug, her hair still wet from the shower. She set her mug on the coffee table next to her and reached for the box, picking it up and placing in front of her on the rug.

She took a deep breath and slowly removed the lid.

She didn't know why it happened. But there it was.

That warm tingly feeling. The goosebumps.

The flutter.

This was going to be harder than she thought.

She only wanted to do something for him. Something to show him that she was there…that she understood what he was going through.

The pictures she'd thrown in when he caught her earlier at the farmhouse still lay on top. Reaching in, she picked up a handful and carefully began flipping through them.

She gently looked over each one. They were all separate memories. One of Clark and his dad in front of the school bus at the end of that dirt lane, with "Clark's first day of school" scribbled in his mother's neat handwriting on the back. Another of a junior high age Clark and his dad tossing a football outside the barn. She couldn't help but smile and softly laugh at each one.

Then, as she slowly moved the picture of Clark and his dad lifting hay bales in the barn, her heart sank.

There, near the bottom of the picture stack was a tattered and creased photo of him and his dad on the old blue tractor. He couldn't have been more than six or seven years old as he sat in his father's lap, waving at the camera, that huge Kent smile spread across both their faces.

She felt it in her throat first. She tried her best to swallow. She tried her best to sniff it away. But it was no use.

She didn't even know it was falling until it was halfway down her cheek.

She quickly moved on to the next picture, a recent family photo. They were all standing on the porch of the old farmhouse, the sun reflecting off their faces. He and his father both had the Kent grin and his mother had her famous knowing-mother smile.

She couldn't help but think of her own family. She couldn't remember the last time they were even all together for a family picture. It was probably before her mother died. She doesn't remember one of just her with the General and Lucy.

No, after her mother died, so did the family portraits.

An ember crackled in the fireplace as she glanced up at the dancing flames, her mind drifting back to the last time she remembered a family picture. It was the one her dad kept on his desk at the base. Lucy wasn't born yet. It was only her and her parents. Her mom made her wear the most ridiculous dress, all frilly and girly, complete with black patent leather shoes and lacy socks. Everyone thought she was adorable, but she couldn't stand being in a dress for any length of time.

She squirmed until her father sternly told her to sit still. Her mother placed a hand on his arm and smiled, saying, "Honey, she's a child. She's not supposed to like sitting with her parents for pictures."

How she'd give anything to go back to that day and sit with them again. She'd sit still for as long as possible.

"Lois?"

She froze.

That wasn't the voice she usually heard behind her back when she was lost in her thoughts.

She quickly wiped the tears from her face and sniffed, but didn't dare turn around. She wasn't sure how red her face was and she didn't want anyone to see just yet how hard she'd been crying.

"Lois, are you okay?"

Oh no.

The footsteps came closer to where she sat in the floor. She closed her eyes as she realized she'd been caught.

"Lana. What are you doing here?"

"She came with me. I hope that's alright."

Chloe softly closed the door as she walked in the tiny apartment. She moved to where Lana stood next to Lois in the floor.

She could handle Chloe. After all, she was her cousin and had seen her at her worst. But Lana? Were they even friends? They were at most acquaintances, especially now that she was with Lex, who was, by all her accounts, her mortal enemy, especially after that muffin-peddlin' comment. That was gonna stick with her for years.

She sighed as she placed the remaining handful of photos back in the box.

"Yeah, Chlo. It's fine."

She kept her head down as she spoke. She could still feel the wetness in her eyes and was terrified a tear would fall if she looked up at either of them.

She knew they were watching her. She knew they were exchanging worried glances with each other.

But she couldn't move. She couldn't say anything. She just wanted to sit and go through the pictures.

After all, she'd said it to him before. They help bring the past to life and remind us that no one is ever really gone. At least not as long as you have the memories.

And they were reminding her of so many of her own family's memories, she just wasn't ready to stop.

"So, Lois? Should we get started? I brought some newspaper clippings from the Ledger and other newspapers."

"Yeah, and I brought my scrapbooking stuff. If you want to use it, that is."

Why were they being so nice? Why was Lana being so nice? And offering her scrapbooking things? This was _her_ project, not Lana's.

No. Don't do that, Lane. Don't go there. She's only trying to help.

She took a deep breath and looked up at them, worried expressions etched on their faces.

"Sure. That sounds great."

She didn't mean for her voice to crack. She also didn't mean for them to see that tear fall.

But they did.

Chloe set the folder of newspaper clippings on the coffee table and sat in the floor next to her cousin, crossing her legs and moving the pictures aside.

"Lois, what's wrong? Has something happened?"

She didn't want to talk about it, especially not with Lana there. Not with the history she had with Clark.

But as she glanced down at the torn picture of the old blue tractor and his chubby little cheeks and his father's wonderful smile, she just couldn't help it.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, attempting in vain to smile through the tears.

"It's just all driving me crazy, Chlo. It's like the anniversary all over again. I just can't help it."

Lana walked around the coffee table and sat on the edge of the couch. She reached in her purse and pulled out a tissue, handing it to Lois.

Chloe put a hand on Lois' back, lightly scratching it as Lois took the tissue and dabbed it at her eyes.

"Lois, it's okay. Mr. Kent's death was a shock for all of us."

"But it's not just that, Chloe. It's everything. It's all of this." She gestured to the pictures scattered in the box and the floor in front of them. "This shouldn't be that difficult for me, but it is. And I don't know why. But every time I see a picture of Clark and his dad I start to cry." She turned to look at her cousin as she pointed to herself. "And you know me, Chlo. I don't cry."

Chloe smiled weakly as she looked from Lois to Lana.

"I know, Lois. But sometimes, you have to."

"Lois?"

Great. What 'advice' was she going to give?

She ignored her as she continued.

"Lois, when my parents died, I cried for months. I'd wake up in the middle of the night crying. I'd cry at the slightest memory of them. Just looking at a flower or hearing a certain song would set off the tears." Like she didn't know any of this. Hello? Her mom died when she was six. She knew all about that. "But…I think you might be crying for another reason."

What?

"Whatd'ya mean?"

She didn't want to know. What did Lana think? Did Lana know about the nights she and Clark had fallen asleep together? Did she know how close they'd gotten lately? Did she even care?

"I mean…I think you're crying for Clark."

Um.

Talk about an uncomfortable silence. This had to be the mother of them all.

"Clark? Why would I--"

"Lois, I think we all know the reason for that."

What was Chloe talking about? They _all_ knew?

She didn't even want to look at Lana.

"Chloe, I don't know what you're talking about."

She tried to manage a laugh, but it was no use. Her emotions were running too high for that. As hard as she tried to stifle it, she just couldn't hold back the tears.

In a way she was grateful for having them there. Yes, for having both of them there. Lana might not have been one of her best friends, but she was still a girl who'd lost her parents at a young age. So, at least she could relate in that aspect. She'd also dealt with Clark and his weirdness.

Maybe that's why, in that instant, in that moment of weakness, she let the tears fall in front of them. She slowly raised her hand to her face as Chloe pulled her over into her arms.

Lana slid off the couch into the floor next to Lois. She placed a comforting hand on Lois' shoulder. What Lois never saw, but would later hear about, was the lone tear that fell down Lana's face as the three sat in the little apartment.

For no matter how much she tried to avoid it, she somehow knew she wouldn't be able to stop the tears that night. As they looked over each picture and laughed and cried over each memory and story of his father, she silently began to believe Lana's words.

She really was crying, and had been since the beginning, for him.


	12. Chapter 12

so... i lied.

i said there were gonna be a few more chapters of this. but there's not. this is it. this is the end of Lois's POV of the 2nd installment of the **Lilies** trilogy.

but never fear. next up is Martha's POV, a short, probably 5 part POV. then comes the much anticipated (at least by me and Marcy) Clark POV, which is probably gonna be around 8 chapters.

only after Clark's POV will i start the 3rd and final installment.

so, i hope you've enjoyed Lois's POV and will continue to follow this story through the other POVs and final part of the trilogy. and thanks so much for the support and feedback throughout this story and always. it's appreciated more than any of you will ever know.

alright, here we go...

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**Author:** Alison

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to DC, CW, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story and a pre-order confirmation number for the second season of The Office. I'm forever in love with John Krasinski. He makes me laugh and is just so gosh darn cute to boot.

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**Chapter 12**

It always felt like going home. She could instantly flash to it in her mind and it always felt the same.

The little dirt lane off the main road had unintentionally become the path to her future, though she wouldn't realize it until much later in life.

She was exhausted. She was also nervous.

But she was even more anxious.

During the last twenty-four hours, in the quest to discover more about his father, she actually discovered more about herself.

Up until now everything she tried to do was attempt to make him happy. It was all to make him feel better.

So who could've ever imagined it'd be his ex-girlfriend to point out the fact that all of her tears and heartache were for him.

Sure, she was upset over losing Mr. Kent, and she'd mourned the loss of him. But this pain, this grief, it came from much deeper. It was overwhelming at times and she had no clue why she felt that way.

But Lana's words echoed in her head all night and throughout the morning during her shift at the Talon.

She'd been crying for him.

It was all for him.

When she finally realized it, she smiled. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted. Perhaps it was because her subconscious knew and had been trying to break through. Perhaps it was because she secretly knew everyone around her knew. Or maybe, just maybe, it's because she just couldn't accept it.

She wanted to see him. She wanted to see his reaction. But she also didn't want to seem anxious in front of him.

After all, to him she was just Lois.

She'd been nervous all day. During her morning Talon shift, she dropped three cups of coffee and forgot to give change to five people. Mrs. Kent found it all pretty humorous when she stopped by around noon. She simply smiled at Lois and told her not to worry, that everything happens for a reason. She looked sheepishly up at his mother and said, "You mean, there's a reason I can't hang on to a single coffee cup today?"

Mrs. Kent grinned, took Lois's hand in hers, looked in her eyes and said, "Lois, I think you already know the answer to that question."

And she did. But that didn't mean she was going to admit the answer.

Even last night when she, Chloe and Lana were gathered around her kitchen island working on the scrapbook, she wouldn't dare admit why she was staring so long at the pictures of Clark, especially those of him with his dad. Part of her envied his family. She longed for the family photos and informal pictures of husbands kissing wives, fathers hugging sons, and just normal family life.

Part of her knew, even if it was deep down, that what she really longed for was _his_ family.

As Chloe glued down the articles from various newspapers about Mr. Kent's life and Lana labeled several pages and pictures, Lois poured over the pictures from the old shoebox, rifling through them to find the right ones. They stayed up until three in the morning putting it all together. All of them ended up crashing in her apartment until they had to be at work or school, and Chloe had to be back in Metropolis.

That night changed Lois. She not only saw Clark in a new light, through the pictures, stories of his father and his family, but she also saw Lana differently. Sure, the girl had made some mistakes and bad decisions in her life, an example being her attraction to and subsequent relationship with Lex.

But, no matter how foolish Lana could seem, that night gave Lois newfound respect for her. Lana never once tried to talk Lois out of her feelings. She never seemed jealous. She never acted like it upset her, even though Lois was sure it did. Lana also didn't try to talk Lois into letting all of them be there when she gave him the scrapbook.

No, Chloe and Lana said from the very start of the evening, after Chloe helped Lois's tears subside, that she should be the one to give him the book. After all, it _was_ her idea. And they all knew that Lois had grown closer to Clark in the last few weeks than any of the rest of them.

Her car slowly came to a halt outside the barn. He might not be at home. He could be in the house. But her gut was telling her exactly where he was.

And Lois Lane never ignored her gut.

She grabbed the package on the passenger seat next to her and stepped out of the car, softly closing the door and walking into the barn.

It was late afternoon and the sunlight filtered through the cracks in the barn walls as she made her way, slowly, up the steps to his loft.

He was sitting on the couch reading. Her stomach flipped and her heart skipped more than a beat as she paused at the top of the landing.

The sunlight shone all around him, reflecting off his illustrious black hair. He really was handsome. He really was…

She was completely lost. She just wanted to hug him.

He looked up at her and smiled, setting his book next to him on the old sofa.

It was that beautiful Kent smile she'd come to know, love and long for. She couldn't help but smile, too.

"Lois. I was hoping to see you today."

What? He was hoping to see her?

What did that mean? Did it mean anything at all? Why would he want to see her? Did he like her?

She smiled even more as she spoke.

"Really?"

Great job, Lane. That can only get you a yes or no answer.

"Yep. I was going to ask you if you-- What's that?"

He pointed to the brown paper wrapped and gold ribbon tied package in her hand.

"This? Oh, um. It's for you."

She walked closer and shoved it a little harder at him than she meant.

But what was he going to ask? He wanted to ask if she would what?

Argh. Men and their one-track minds. Apparently, multi-tasking only evolved with the female race.

"For me?" He smiled sideways and narrowed his eyes. "It's not my birthday and Christmas has come and gone. So…why a gift?"

She crossed her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes.

"Because I wanted to give you a gift, okay? So, just open it."

He grinned and shook his head as he began to tear into the brown paper, removing the gold ribbon and dropping it on the old wooden floor.

She stood nervously, anticipating his reaction.

As he removed the last bit of wrapping, his hands suddenly stopped as he stared in silence at the front cover of the leather bound scrapbook.

In the slot on the cover was the picture of his father from the frame he'd broken.

He looked up at her, then back down to the picture.

"Lois…"

She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't swallow. Her throat felt dry. Was she even breathing?

He stood, still staring at the picture.

"It's sort of a collection of his life. Pictures, articles, bits of his infamous wisdom, everything he's done, everything he's accomplished. Including…" She paused, not certain if she should even say it. She took a breath. "Including his greatest accomplishment."

He began to flip through the book as he spoke.

"His senate run?"

She lightly sighed and smiled.

"No. You."

She bit her lip as he looked up at her and smiled. He turned and slowly walked to the window, flipping through the album.

He stopped and turned back to her.

"Lois…no one's ever done anything like this for me."

She laughed softly to herself. She knew the feeling.

She slowly walked closer to him. He set the scrapbook on his desk near the window, then ran his hand through his thick black hair.

"I mean…Lois…"

She smiled and put her hand on his arm. The flutter was building. She was staring into his eyes. She should've been terrified. She should've laughed nervously and run away by now.

But she didn't. She couldn't even if she wanted to.

Because it all felt right. Everything felt right.

It all felt like home.

The sunlight shone brightly on their faces through the window as he slowly leaned in to her. She moved closer to him. They were inches apart.

She wanted to kiss him.

She was surprised only by the fact that she wasn't terrified of her feelings anymore.

She leaned in. He leaned in.

This was crazy. Only a few short weeks ago and she would've had herself declared legally insane for this.

But he was so cute, so handsome, so…Clark.

He was moving closer. He closed his eyes.

She followed and slowly closed her eyes. She could feel his breath on her lips. She could almost feel his lips. She could almost—

"Lois!"

Her eyes shot open as she gasped, not realizing she'd been holding her breath.

Clark quickly stepped away from her as Chloe ran up the stairs, out of breath, to the loft.

Chloe? What was she doing there?

Well, that just ruined the moment.

This had better be important or one of these days Chloe would be interrupted just as she was on the verge of—

"Chloe, what's wrong?"

Clark rushed over to her as they both sat on the old sofa.

Chloe put a hand on her chest attempting to catch her breath as she looked from Clark to Lois.

"Lois, it's Lucy."

Lois quickly walked over to the couch, squatting next to Chloe and avoiding eye contact with Clark.

"Whatd'ya mean? What's going on?"

"I got a phone call this afternoon from Lucy. She's in trouble, Lois."

Great. Not this again.

Lois rolled her eyes and sat on the couch next to her cousin.

"When is she _not_ in trouble?"

Chloe shook her head.

"No, Lois. This is real. And it's much worse than last time." She paused and turned to Lois. "Your father's in trouble, too."

What?

"Chlo, what are you talking about? What's happened to them?"

"I traced the phone call from Lucy to none other than our favorite Swiss kidnapper and bouncer, Marcus Becker."

Lois closed her eyes and shook her head.

If Lucy was still involved with that guy…

"The guy that kidnapped me and Lucy?"

"That's the one. I traced Lucy's call to a cell phone registered to him."

"I should've known. I should've known something like this was going to happen again. And now she's dragging you into it? I can't believe she called you and not me."

"She said she just didn't want you to be disappointed in her anymore."

Clark reached around Chloe and put a hand on Lois's arm.

"Lois, look, we'll figure this out. There has to be a logical explanation for all of this." He looked at Chloe. "You said she's in trouble. What kind of trouble?"

"That's the thing. According to Lucy, she and Becker were working with a notorious crime syndicate based out of Frankfurt, Germany, when something went incredibly wrong. Now, they're both being held for ransom. When word got to the General that Lucy had been kidnapped, he sent out a covert ops task force to find her. But, he went with them." She stopped and looked at Lois. "That was two weeks ago. No one's heard from him since."

What was happening?

She didn't ask for any of this. Yet, for some reason, her family kept falling apart.

She felt his touch on her arm. She could feel the warmth of his hand through her sweater. She didn't want to do what she was about to do.

But she had to.

She quickly stood, his hand falling from her arm. Her mind was racing. There were a million things she had to do.

She walked towards the stairs.

"Lois, where are you going?"

His voice. She loved to hear his voice. It was usually there when she wanted it, but always there when she needed it.

Slowly, she turned to look at him. He had stood. He looked as if he wanted to help, as if he wanted to go with her.

"I'm going to find my family."

She paused for a minute looking at him. How she'd give anything to rush over and hug him. How she'd give anything to run over and kiss him.

But she could already feel the tears. And she knew she had only one option.

So, she turned and quickly rushed down the steps. She could hear Chloe shouting her name from the loft, but she couldn't stop. She ran out of the barn to her car, hopped in and started the engine. She backed around the driveway, put the car in drive and sped through the gravel as Clark ran out of the barn door as she drove by. She only glanced at him briefly.

She could still feel his breath on hers. She could still almost feel his lips.

She could still feel him.

As she sped down the little dirt lane, she couldn't stop thinking of how she was going to save her sister and find her father. But, at the same time, she also couldn't stop watching him in the rearview mirror.

Because for the first time in her life, she was torn between needing to go and wanting to stay.

**THE END**

_Watch for Martha's POV to **And Then There Were Two** followed by Clark's POV to the story. After Clark's POV, stay tuned for the as yet untitled final installment in this **Lilies** trilogy, also with multiple POVs (but starting with Lois's POV)._


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